“Thanks to the grace of God, I took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’ until April 21, 2011.” When you hear my name, you probably recall the old me. You see, I’ve led two separate lives. The old one was nasty. I was only 38 when handed a political dream job: Special Counsel to just-electedRead the Rest…

“History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren’t there.” ~George Santayana, philosopher “History never looks like history when you are living through it.” ~ John W. Gardner, Vice President 1990: Back to the Wheel. Final episode of Pat Sajak’s ill-fated late night television show. 1984: Pete RoseRead the Rest…

“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all: the conscientious historian will correct these defects.” ~Herodotus, the ancient Greek often called “The Father of History.” 1993: Construction begins on Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 1988: Michael Dukakis is chosen as the Democratic nominee for President. 1987:Read the Rest…

1994: Silence of the Lambs sweeps Best Movie, Best Director, Best Adapated Screenplay, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), and Best Actress (Jodie Foster). 1990: We all get older. Jack Nicklaus makes his debut in the “Seniors” golf tournament. 1987: Marlee Matlin is the first and only deaf person to win Best Actress, for Children of aRead the Rest…

2000: American Beauty wins Best Picture. Its star, Kevin Spacey, is chosen Best Actor. 1995: Color of Night featuring Bruce Willis gets the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture. Roger Ebert said of the movie: “I was, frankly, stupefied. To call it absurd would be missing the point, since any shred of credibility was obviouslyRead the Rest…

Reagan is President. The word “hippie” is used with past tense verbs. Yuppies and the “Me-Generation” are rearing their greedy heads. It’s the 1980s. Where have all the flowers gone? OMG! Baby boomers are facing a thirty-something crisis. It’s a new pop culture movie genre. Not a “coming-of-age” story, but a “coming-to-terms” story. “In aRead the Rest…

It’s 1969. Lots of baby boomers are in rebellion. Easy Rider roars across the pop culture screen. Parents are at their wits end. Henry Fonda, the venerable father of the film’s co-star, couldn’t even find a plot. “What does the movie mean?” he asked in bewilderment. There was a plot of sorts: two biker hippieRead the Rest…

I had the most painful 15 minutes of baby boomer fame in history. The surgery lasted a lot longer, almost 10 hours. Let me admit right off, I ain’t no saint. But hey, I was the victim. Feminists treated me like a criminal and turned it into women’s liberation cause celeb. Remember, Lorena sliced offRead the Rest…

“Every age has a keyhole to which its eye is pasted.” ~Mary McCarthy, writer 2007: The Departed, a cop-gangster movie thriller, wins Best Picture. Martin Scorsese is Best Director. 1998: Runs in the family. Best Male Rock Vocal goes to Bob Dylan for Cold Irons Bound. Best Rock Group Vocal is One Headlight by TheRead the Rest…